UK promises jets, drones and warship for Strait of Hormuz defence mission

Summary

UK promises jets, drones and warship for Strait of Hormuz defence mission The UK has said it will contribute drones, fighter jets and a warship to a joint mission aimed at safeguarding shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Defence minister John Healey announced the package at a virtual summit of defence ministers on Tuesday. It includes autonomous systems to detect and clear naval mines, drone boats and Typhoon jets for air patrols. More than 40 other nations are involved in the mission, which Healey said would begin when conditions allow. For months Iran has been controlling the Strait of Hormuz - one of the world's busiest oil shipping channels - in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks. The US, for its part, has been enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports to exert pressure on Tehran to agree to its terms - a move that has infuriated Iran. Some 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas uses the crucial waterway, whose blockage has sent prices soaring globally. A ceasefire has been in place between the US and Iran since April, but US President Donald Trump has said it is on "massive life support". Both sides have accused the other of launching attacks in the strait. There is already more than 1,000 British personnel deployed in the region as part of existing defensive operations, including counter-drone teams and fast jet squadrons, the ministry said. The Ministry of Defence said the multinational mission - which was announced last month by the UK and France - is strictly defensive and aimed at restoring confidence for commercial shipping along the Strait of Hormuz. It said the contribution is backed by £115m new funding for mine-hunting drones and counter-drone systems. "With our allies, this multinational mission will be defensive, independent, and credible," Healey said in a statement. Under the plan, HMS Dragon - the air defence destroyer that is already on its way to the Middle East - will also "be ready for any mission" to secure the strait, the MoD said. It added that another British ship, the RFA Lyme Bay, continues to be upgraded by with new equipment, if required for operations in the strait. The announcement comes as Healey offered his support to Sir Keir Starmer, as dozens of Labour MPs called on the prime minister to resign. In a post on X, Healey said Sir Keir was leading the country through "conflicts and looming global crises". "More instability is not in Britain's interest. Our full focus now must be on dealing with immediate economic & security challenges," he added. During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Sir Keir did not discuss the calls for him to step aside, but instead focused on the impact of the conflict in the Middle East. A Downing Street spokesperson said ministers "agreed that number one priority remains getting the Strait of Hormuz open again, so that international shipping can resume". Sir Keir's position on the conflict has been that the UK will not be "dragged" into it. He has previously said the UK would not support a US blockade of Iranian ports, which is still in place.